Regulator



Filed oct. 7. 1955 sheets-shea 2 L Sept. 27, 1938. G. K. o'cQNNoR 7 )2,131,481

; REGULATOR Filed oct. 7, 1935 .js shuts-sheet s Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES REGULATOR George K.' OConnor, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Smoot Engineering Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delawarel Application october v, 1935, serai No. 43,887 7 claims. (ci. 5o-1o) This irivention'relates to regulators, such as are used for automatically controlling uid flows and pressure and other similar variable conditions and quantities. An object of the invention is to provide a regulator adapted to operate a valve or damper or the like by powerful hydraulic or air or other iuid pressure, and which is remotely controlled in a manner giving substantially an instantaneous l response, preferably by an electric circuit.

In o'ne desirable arrangement the remote control is connected to a reversible electric motor which operates through a reduction gearing or the like to shift return motion means such as a l oating lever swung about its connection to the fluid-power actuator to open, in the correct direction, a pilot Valve controlling that actuator, and then swung by the resultant operation of the actuator to close the pilot valve again.

Various features of the invention relate to controlling the circuits for the above-described motor. These circuits may be controlled manu ally, or automatically, and there may be a return indicator to apprise the operator thatthe desired control operation has taken place.

Where the regulator is controlled automatically,

I prefer to use a novel mechanism, preferably electrically operated, utilizing an oscillated member having electric contacts, or other engaging control parts, engaging'at times balance means such as a balance lever actuated by Variations in pressure orother condition to be controlled.

This contact-carrying member is shown conv tinuously operated by power, and is in the form of a iioating lever having the contacts at one end and a dashpot or the equivalent'atthe otherend. Various advantageous and novel features have for oscillation about its dashpot connection as this shifts gradually back to normal position-- substantially as the'balance means shifts back to normal as the required corrective. change in 4,5. pressure or other controllable condition is built up, f

Thus the device serves as a compensator for time lagin the change of the condition being contro1led.

Since there is very. little `time lag in the ap.. paratus itself, this adapts the regulator very wellto installations where there is a considerable se aration o the ressure-.measuringmeans (orv A p i p shown as includlng awire 54 leadinggt 913e, $151@ equivalent means for measuring a conditionto be controlled) and the valveforpther control device which is operated by the regulator. 'Ihe above and other 'objects and features of the invention, including various novel combinations of parts and desirable particular constructions, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: n

Figure 1 is a diagram of my novel -regulator arranged with alternatively operable manual and automatic controls; l

Figure 2 is a, similar diagram showing a manual control with a return indicator; l0

Figure 3 is a diagram of the above-described automatic regulator with compensating means;

Figure 3a is a view of parts of Figure 3 in a dierent position; and l Figures 4, 5, 6, and '7 are diagrams showing the l5\ compensating means of Figure 3 in different positions.

The-regulator of Figure 1 is intended `to control the flow of a fluid through a pipe l0, by operating'a valve or damper i2 in the pipe. The valve 20 l2 is operated by means such as an arm I4, mount` ed on the valve spindle outside the pipe, and connected by means such as a vlink I6 to the piston rod I8 of the piston 20 of a double-'acting fluid actuator comprising, in combination with 25 the piston, a hydraulic cylinder 22.

The piston rod i8 also has pivoted thereto return'motion meansvsuchA as a floating lever 24 which has connected thereto intermediate its ends a link orthe equivalent 26 voperatively con- 30 nected to -a pilot valve such'as a valve slide 28 inacasing30. f

The casing 30 has at its center an intake connection 32 'forliquidunder pressure and at its ends it has overiiow or'drain connections 34,.` Op- 35 posite two shoulders or pistons on the slide' 28, in normal valve closed position, are two'ports communicating with conduits iilgand` 38 leading to y Y opposite' endsv of' thehydraulic'vc'ylind'er l22,

Inthei illustrated embodiment', the means for 40 operating vthe lever `21| to controlthe opening of the valve comprises a rackl connected to the lower end'of the lever by means suchl as a" link 42. 'Therack 40 meshes with asmall pinion M driven by Va large worm gear` 46 rotated by 'aworm 45 4 8 on the armature shaft ofa rversible'electricmotor 50. The gegriggqlits hOuSing v5L forms areductiongegr `meting The motor 5u 1s 'controlled byeiectrilficuits ss of a source bg e1ctrica1jcurentand two other wires 58 and 60 -(for forward and reverse drive of the'motor). A ,lead 82y from the other rf;

side 64 of the source of current is shown connected to a two-way switch 66.

When the switch 66 is swung upwardly to closed position it connects the lead 64 to a connection 68 leading to two contacts of two push-button switches having operating plungers 10 and 12 respectively, and the other contactsof which are connected by leads 14 and 16 to the wires 58 and 60. Thus closing one or the other of the switches 10 or 12 causes operation of the motor 50 in a corresponding direction, and shifts the rack 40 through a distance determined by the time the switch is held closed, causing a corresponding change in the position of the valve I2.

If the switch 66 is swung downwardly to closed position, it connects the lead 62 to a wire 18 connected through aiexible lead 80 to a c'ontact 82 on a balance lever 84. The contact 82 'is engaged, by movement of the lever 84 in one direction or the other from its normal horizontal position, with one or the other of two contacts 86 or 88 connected by leads 80 and 92 respectively to leads 60 and 58.

The balance lever 84 is. mounted to swing on a suitable fulcrum 94, and is loaded with a spring or weight 96 to give the desired action, and is actuated by,a weighted diaphragm or the like 98 in a casing |00 one side of which is connected by a conduit |02 to the pipe I0. .Thus fluctuations in pressure in pipe |0 beyond the valve I2 swing lever 84 in one direction or the other to cause one or the other of the contacts 86 or 88 to engage' the contact 82, thus driving the motor in a corresponding direction and corre' spondingly moving the valve I2.

In the arrangement of Figure 2 the motor 50 is controlled by a remote control electrical sys-i tem such as is fully described in Smoot Patent.

No. 1,954,850, granted April 17, 1934. As the details ofthe remote control system itself form no part of my invention, I have merely shown diagrammatically at ||0 the manually slet sending instrument of such a system, connected by wires ||2 to the receiving instrument ||4 of the system, this in turn being operatively connected yto the motor 50 by wires II6. The device shown lin this gure isiintended for operation by an tion.

, with both an adjustable weight 86 and a characteristic spring |48, carries a double contact |42 elastic fluid such as compressed air carried by a supply conduit 82a, and consequently the return conduit 84 is omitted, casing 80a being, open at its ends to exhaust into the atmosphere.

In this embodiment, in order that the operator (who may be at a considerable distance) may be absolutely sure that the desired adjustment has been made, the arm I4 is shown connected by means such as a link |28 with a lever |22 usually paralleling lever 24, and of the same proportions, but mounted on a xed fulcrum |24. This lever-i|22 isshown linkedto affconnection |28 operating a second remote control sending instrument |28 connectedby wires |80 with a receiving instrument |82 at the operators sta- Thus when the desired adjustment of valve I2 is made, the instrument |82 -wil1 show it.l

Figures 3 to 7 illustrate an automatic control for the regulator. In this embodiment, the control or balance means such as lever 84, shown connected through a iiexible lead |44 to a line |48 leading to one wire |48 of a source of electrical power. 'Ihis saine wire A|48 is also connected by a lead |88 with three double contacts |82, |84, and' |68 forming parts of two triple solenoid-operated switches described-below.

connected to one of two yieldlngly closed con-` tacts |14 the other of which has a connection |16 leading to the other line '|18 of the source of electrical power.

Thus it will be seen tacts |42 and |60 closes the following two circuits (if contacts |14 are closed, viz.: (l) |48- |46-|44-|42-|60.|64|66|10|12|14 |16-|18; land (since this energizes solenoid |10 and pulls upwardly on its core to cause its upper contact |82 to bridge across and connect contacts |68.and |52) a holding circuit (2) |48-k I50-I52-I82-I68|10|12|14 |16 |18, Both of these-circuits are opened by the separation of contacts |14, which thereupon opens'vthe connection |52-I82-I68 by de-energization of the solenoid 10.

The contact |62 is connected through a exible lead |86 with a line |88 leading to the upper contact |90 of the other one of the solenoid switches, and thence through the solenoid |92 of that switch and through the above-described line |12, contacts |14, line |16, to the other side |18 of the source of power. This (if contacts -|14 are closed) energizes solenoid |92, lifting its core |94, causing the upper contact |96 to bridge across and establish'V a connection between contacts |90 and |52. 'I'his establishes a holding circuit |48|50|52|86|90|92|12|14 |16-T418. Like .the first holding circuit, this is broken' by the separation .of contacts |14.

The second contacts |90 and 200, of the solenoid cores |80 and |94 respectively, both are engageable with the second set of contacts |54 connected by lead |50 to current source |48. The contact |98, when closed, connects contact |54 (and therefore source |48) to a connection 202 which cooperates with a connection 204 from the other side |18 of the current source to drive the reversible motor 50 in onedirection. Similarly contact 200, when closed, connects the contact |54 with a motor connection 208 which cooperates with the connection 204 to drive the motor 50 in the opposite direction.

The balance lever |88 has between its ends means for continuously oscillating the lever about one or the other of its ends. This means is illustrated as a plunger 208 pressed downwardly by 2|8 and,228. This 'end of the lever |88 is alsov pivoted to the rod 222 o f a dashpot piston 224 movable in a fixed dashpot-cylinder 228.' The top and bottom of the cylinder 226 communicate through two passages 228 and 288. The passage 228 is controlled by a manually adjustable needle valve 232, permitting the usual. slowdashpot movement to piston 224.`

The e 288 is opened and closed by a valve 284 operated by a lever 288 yieldingly connected to an operating rod 288 actuated through that engagement of conconnections shown as including a bellcrank 240 and a link 242 and a second bellcrank 244 and another link 246, by a core 248 in a solenoid 250. The core 250 is also connected, at its upper end, to a clamp or brake 252, fulcrumed on a pivoted link to be swung upwardly as shown in Figure 3a to grip and hold a plunger 254 linked to the right-hand end of the compensating lever |58." The connections may be provided with a return spring 256. The solenoid 250, which when energized opens the passage 230 and simultaneously actuates the clamp 252 to grip and hold the plunger 254, is

provided with a connection 260 direct from one line |18 of the source of power, and a connection 262, with a shunt 264, so arranged as to connect it with the lower contacts of both f the triple solenoid switches, and adapted to be connected to the contact |56 (and therefore line |48) when either core |80 or |94 lifts its lowermost contact 268 or 268.

It will be noted that when solenoid 250 is energized, the` compensating lever |58 oscillates about its righthand end, plunger 254 being held and passage 230 being wide open,`whereas when the solenoid 250 is deenergized the lever |58 oscillates about its left end, which is then held (yieldingly, to be sure) by the dashpot while plunger 254 is released'. l

The operation of the above-described compensating means is illustrated in Figures 4 to '7. Normally, with balance lever84 horizontal as shown in Figure 4, lever |58 oscillates idly, motor' 50 is idle, and all of the circuits are open. The lever |58 at this time oseillates about its left end, but not far enough to cause engagement of either contact |60 or |62 with contact |42. r

If the condition being controlled should depart from normal, as for example in a manner swing'- ing the contact |42 upwardly as illustrated in Figure 5, contacts |60 and |42 engage on the next oscillation of lever |58. This energizes solenoid |10, and closes .(1) the holding circuit through that solenoid, (2) one ofthe motor circuits, and (3) the circuit through solenoid 250. This is shown in Figure 5.

The lever |58 now starts to oscillate about its right end, until the next separation of the contacts |14 opens all of the circuits, during which time motor 50 is running and the piston 224 is shifted to some newposition illustrated lin Figure 6.

The lever |58 now again oscillates about its left end, but due to the new position of piston 224 its oscillation is abouta new mean position, and this is such that again neither of the contacts |60 or |62 engages the contact |42, in spite of the new position of the latter. This is illustrated in Figure 7.

As the resultant pressure in casing |00 (orA' other condition being controlled) gradually builds up to return to its original value, dependent on the new position of valve I2, the balance leverl 84 gradually is returned to its original horizontal position of Figure 4, while concurrently therewith the spring 2|'8 and the dashpot 224-226 gradually return the lever |58 to its original position, where it oscillates in a zone whose mean is a ,horizontal line,l as shown in Figure 4.

Thus any deviation from normal of the condition being K controlled closes either contacts |80-I42 or |62-,|42, operatingmotor 50 in a corresponding direction' for not more than onelialf thetime of a revolution of shaft 2|2.- If the resultant correction is not suicient, or if I it overshoots, there will be a subsequent further correction in a corresponding sense. The described compensating mechanism compensates for time lag in the response, and prevents hunt- 1ng.'

While several illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of my invention to those particular embodiments, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

The present invention is junior to, and from somepoints of Aview may be regarded as an improvement on, the invention of Charles H. Smoot,.

deceased, covered by application No. 59,574filed January 17, 1936, by Katherine E. Smoot, executrix of the estate of said Charles H. Smoot.

I claim: e

1. A regulator comprising a fluid-power actuator having an electric control device, balance means actuated by the condition to be controlled and provided with an electric contact, a poweroscillated floating lever having normally-oscillating spaced contacts ori opposite sides of said first contact and which do not engage said first contact when the balance means is in its normal position and one or the other of which engages the first contact when the balance means shifts outw of its normal position, circuits for oppositely actuating the electric control device and which are connected through said spaced contacts respectively, a fluid dashpot connected to the lever, means for holding the spaced contacts and shifting the dashpot connection t'o a new position without substantial resistance from the dashpot when either of said circuits is closed, and means oper-l ating when the circuit is thereafter opened to voscillation of the spaced contacts.

2. A regulator comprising balance means actuated by the condition to be controlled and pro.

vided with an electric contact, a power-oscillated floating lever having normally-oscillating spaced contacts on opposite sides of said rst contact and which do not engage said rst contact when the balance means is in its normal position and one or the other of which engages the first contact when the balance means shifts out of itsy normal position, control circuits which are connected through said spaced contacts respectively,

'a iiuid dashpot connected to the lever, means for holding the spaced contacts and shifting the dashpot connection to a new position without substantial resistance from the dashpot when either of said circuits is closed, and means operating when the circuit is thereafter opened to shift the dashpot connectionl gradually against g the resistance of the dashpot back to its initial position, while at the same time permitting the oscillation of the spaced contacts.

3. Actuating mechanism for a regulator or the like comprising a floating lever, power-actuated means engaging the lever between its ends and oscillating the lever about whichever end most .resists movement, a pair of spaced contacts at one nected to the other end of the lever and which has.

ahy-pass which can be opened to eliminate dash- Jpot resistance, means for gradually returning said other end of the lever from anyposition into l like comprising a iloating lever, power-actuated means engaging the lever between its ends and oscillating the lever about whichever end most resists movement, a pair of spaced engaging parts at one end of the lever, balance means actuated by the condition to be controlled and having an engaging part between the spaced parts, control means actuated by engagement of said parts, a dashpot connected to the other end of the lever and which has a by-pass which can be opened to eliminate dashpot resistance, means for gradually returning said other end of the lever from any position into which it has been moved to a. central position against the resistance of the dashpot whenever the end carrying said parts is free to oscillate, means actuated whenever said parts are engaged to hold the end of the leverKcarrying said parts against oscillation, and means operated whenever said parts are engaged to open said bypass.

5. Actuating mechanism for a regulator or? the like comprising balance means having an engaging part shifted by changes in the condition to be part in its shifted lpositionr'is midway thereof,

and means for graually returning said zone of oscillation to its original position.

6. Actuating mechanism for a regulator or the like comprising balance means having an engaging part shifted by changes in a condition to be controlled, power-operated feeler means includof the sai'd two parts to shift the dashpot means. to a new position corresponding to the shifted position of said first part to change said zone oi.' oscillation accordingly and then permitting the dashpot means gradually to return .said zone of oscillation gradually to its initial position.

7. Actuating mechanism for a regulator or the like comprising balance means having an engaging part vhaving an electric contact shifted by changes in a condition to be controlled, poweroperated feeler means including two other parts having contacts swung toward and from said rst contact and one or the other of which engages said rst contact when it is shifted, dashpot means determining the zone of oscillation of said other parts, means rendered eiective by engagement of the first contact with one or the other of the said two contacts to shift the dashpot means to a new position corresponding to the shifted position of said rst part to change said zone of os'cillation accordingly and then 4permitting the dashpot means gradually toreturn said zone of oscillation gradually to its initial position, and a control circuit opened and closed by engagament and disengagement Aof said contacts. A

- GEORGE K. O'CONNOR. 

